Strengthening the Core

December 7th, 2010, 11:45 AM

Does anyone have any suggestions for strengthening the core? My run time is decent and I am not overweight but have a very weak core so puch ups and sit have been a struggle. I am up every moring at 05:00 and work out after work 6 days a week.

I do planks until I can't do them anymore, reverse sit ups, crunches on a rubber ball, as many push ups as I can muster (not many) and then continue with the modified until I can't do anymore and my sit-ups are even more sad (using proper form) but I still don't feel like I am progressing well enough to not look like a clown at RSP.

My personal trainer also has me doing yoga exercises to strengthen my transverse abdominals, (shaped like a corset, deep inside, where your core strength comes from). I want to be able to do them comfortably so I can just progress with more workouts but I feel like I have hit a plateau.

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ActuallyI've been training for about 9 monts, but I dropped 40 lbs first from running, so I'm at 136 lbs.now. My only concern is that I am enlisting within the next couple weeks (by January) and I know I will need to do PT at RSP and want to be stronger....now! LOL

ActuallyI've been training for about 9 monts, but I dropped 40 lbs first from running, so I'm at 136 lbs.now. My only concern is that I am enlisting within the next couple weeks (by January) and I know I will need to do PT at RSP and want to be stronger....now! LOL

You are already head and shoulders above most people joining. We dont expect people to be able to pass PT tests when they join. Continue to work out, but dont stress it.

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I'm just a bit of a perfectionist and not very patient....lol But I supposed if I waited and worked at it for 30 years to enlist...I can TRY and be more patient. I just want BCT to be FUN, not a struggle.....I think it sounds like an AWESOME 9 weeks, I can't wait!

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Been on these forums for weeks reading post after post, finally some new topics. Chris36 I am the same way I wish to join the guard but i am lacking. I however just started working out recently (2 weeks ago) and need to lose about 40 lbs give or take and my core is week. Run time is terrible as well but last time i "ran" was 9th grade football and its all gone downhill. Any tips you have on good running exercises that you used to help lose that weight you would like to share would be amazing. I am using the local YMCA and what i started doing was going 2 miles on the track. 44 laps= 2 miles seems so long any ideas how to make it less "blah"? I started the 100 pushup and 200 sit-up program it works well i do feel i am making progress with that, if u want the links you can PM me i have them bookmarked .

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Been on these forums for weeks reading post after post, finally some new topics. Chris36 I am the same way I wish to join the guard but i am lacking. I however just started working out recently (2 weeks ago) and need to lose about 40 lbs give or take and my core is week. Run time is terrible as well but last time i "ran" was 9th grade football and its all gone downhill. Any tips you have on good running exercises that you used to help lose that weight you would like to share would be amazing. I am using the local YMCA and what i started doing was going 2 miles on the track. 44 laps= 2 miles seems so long any ideas how to make it less "blah"? I started the 100 pushup and 200 sit-up program it works well i do feel i am making progress with that, if u want the links you can PM me i have them bookmarked .

First let me say I AM NOT a health professional, but this is what has worked for me. For the weight, I did start a year ago on that, but you can still do it; you’ll just have to be very disciplined. I too have achieved everything I’ve done at my local YMCA and in my own home. I literally started out walking on my lunch hour everyday and after work, then worked my way up to walk & jogging intervals (which helped my speed).

If the treadmill is too monotonous, the elliptical machine is an extremely vigorous workout (you pick the resistance level) and it is MUCH easier on our ‘old’ knees (until your get more fit). I cannot stress ENOUGH to get GOOD running shoes! I’m a single parent but saving up for some properly, professionally fitted ones from Playmakers (or a major sporting goods place that specializes in running) has eliminated knee and lower back pain & seriously helped my physical advancement.

My personal trainer at the YMCA has me doing, just on my OWN time, (not counting my sessions with her) over 5 days a week (you pick), but MUST be five:

2 miles on the treadmill or 30 minutes on the elliptical machine (on the treadmill, going a comfortable pace (5-6 mi. hour), then pushing yourself to the max for 1 minute (7+ mi hour), then back slower, does help increase your speed. For monotony, I personally plop myself in front of the ESPN channel but also use my iPod. I find I DO workout harder with fast paced music.

Each day I do 10 consecutive push ups (if I can’t keep proper form then I do modified, but must do 10). Then I roll over and do 10 sit-ups. Then I do 9 push ups / then 9 sit ups….etc, etc down to one. This will increase over time and as I feel I can, but I use it as an absolute base for everyday just to keep my body moving forward.

I use variety with the push ups by varying with regular, wide, ‘diamond’ and even using push-up handles will give your wrists a rest. Sits ups I do the proper form Army push-ups but also do Yoga to strengthen my transverse abdominals.

With my trainer we lift weights working on bench presses, flies and squats until I want to smack her…..her favorite phrase is ‘you’ve got 2 more!’

I DO THIS MINIMUM 5 DAYS a week but usually 6 (I give myself 1 rest day where I will hike through the local state park with a weighted vest….but that’s me and I’m a sadist…LOL)

PLEASE NOTE: I have worked UP to this and this routine may not be for everyone, but it has helped me get to where I am. ALSO, eat healthy! Cut out the sugar pop and junk…you get out of your body what you put into it and if you you’re givin it nothing to work with, you’ll not have the energy to put out the effort.

Make sure you give your body time to rest as well; if you push yourself too hard and seriously injure yourself, you could ruin your chances for enlistment but YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

You just have to stick with it and not give up; it all depends on how bad you want this. If I can be a single parent who works full time, goes to school at night full time and has 2 teenagers and I CAN find time to work out…YOU CAN TOO.

For years I have said, and tell my kids, ‘’those who want something bad enough will make it HAPPEN; those who don’t, will make EXCUSES.’’ If this is something you want deep in heart, I have complete faith you can do it.

Sorry everyone for the long post….thought it might be helpful to others…..

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I prefer the BSOTC-WAC-AAM method for training, it is full body with a real focus on the core, it serves me well, and I do not think anyone else has the distinct ability to use this, let alone survive... So for the rest I offer one of my posts in reference to push-ups from way back in April of 2006.

Remember, when doing push-ups, you have to break the plane accross your back and shoulders - meaning your shoulders need to be higher than the center of your back on the downward movement, and arms locked to complete the upward movement. The push-up bars are helpful, and allow you to exagerate the downward movement more, without slamming ionto the ground...

Use the link so I do not have to re-type it over again... I cannot remember if I ever put anything up on sit-ups, however do keep in mind that total body fitness should be a goal. When not in my primary method of physical training, I have contemplated using "flirty-girl fitness" to augment my routine, but as of yet cannot get past the infomercial...

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I prefer the BSOTC-WAC-AAM method for training, it is full body with a real focus on the core, it serves me well, and I do not think anyone else has the distinct ability to use this, let alone survive... So for the rest I offer one of my posts in reference to push-ups from way back in April of 2006.

Remember, when doing push-ups, you have to break the plane accross your back and shoulders - meaning your shoulders need to be higher than the center of your back on the downward movement, and arms locked to complete the upward movement. The push-up bars are helpful, and allow you to exagerate the downward movement more, without slamming ionto the ground...

Use the link so I do not have to re-type it over again... I cannot remember if I ever put anything up on sit-ups, however do keep in mind that total body fitness should be a goal. When not in my primary method of physical training, I have contemplated using "flirty-girl fitness" to augment my routine, but as of yet cannot get past the infomercial...

I like your routine on your 2006 posting and fully intend to work my way up to sets like that. Seeing as how this last year is the first time I have ever routinely done PU & SU, I am still working on my minimums and my form! I work on it 5-6 days a week though, do not head off to my first RSP until January or February and BCT is not until June, so I fully intend to be in peak condition.

I am working on my arm and wrist strength alot as well; it helps with my PU and want to be able to climb, hang and moves across bars (i.e. fitness and obstacle courses) without slowing down my team.

I've printed out your routine for my trainer, thanks for the suggestion.

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Do some sprints, it sounds weird but sprinting is one of the best ways to build muscle tone and weight/strength ratio. you use every muscle while running. find a track nearby and just do some 100m sprints, sprint there, walk back, sprint there, walk back (400m=1 lap and 4 laps=1mile) and when i say sprint i mean fast think of a real life scenario.

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Repetition + Continuous Improvement + HYDRATION will get you there. In January of 2010 I was running a 16 minute mile, today I've more than halved my mile time, and prior to that I'd not run more than 2 consecutive miles in my entire life. The key has been staying motivated, keeping a disciplined schedule, and not trying to 'bite off' too much at once. When I started I was 30% body fat and 225lbs, now I'm down to 194lbs and around 12% bodyfat - it just takes work, you get out what you put in.

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Repetition + Continuous Improvement + HYDRATION will get you there. In January of 2010 I was running a 16 minute mile, today I've more than halved my mile time, and prior to that I'd not run more than 2 consecutive miles in my entire life. The key has been staying motivated, keeping a disciplined schedule, and not trying to 'bite off' too much at once. When I started I was 30% body fat and 225lbs, now I'm down to 194lbs and around 12% bodyfat - it just takes work, you get out what you put in.

My problem has been the 'biting off too much'....I am so eager to be in top shape that I was risking a bit of injury with my knee (thankfully it was just a strained muscles and not the meniscus).

I have dicipline down, have been working out 5-6 days a week faithfully; if the weather stinks, I hit the gym or find some other means. I dropped over 45 lbs last year and am now only 130 lbs and around a 8-9 minute mile (I just turned 37 and only started working out hard a year and a half ago, so I'm pretty pleased with it).

However, it is my core for my PU's that I am trying to work so hard on. My SU's are coming along and I do planks and even yoga for my transverse abdominals (the corset like muscles in your core) but my PU's are not coming along as I hoped. I do the PU's everyday, whenever I get a chance all day, and do lots of weight lifting every otherday, so I am confident that it will pay off....(I am just not very patient!)

I'm not sure what my body fat percentage is but I've got a lot of muscle and have lost a lot of (fat) weight, so I am not worried about it. Besides, whatever I do have, I keep it behind me so I don't have to see it...